Say YES to Prop 121 – Arizona Open Primary! Punish both parties and give independent voters ability to bring this Nation together.

Do you miss the days of Ronald Reagan and Tip O’Neill where our political leaders used to be able to work in a bipartisan fashion? Indeed it would be nice going back to the good ol’ Reagan and Tip O’Neill days and breaking partisan gridlock to do the jobs Americans voted and pay them to do.

More than ever we need to go back to working on solutions….shedding the partisanship. We need to go back to the Ronald Reagan and Tip O’Neill days. We are hungry for that. We can no longer support the Tea Party and those who chant Hell No to everything. Americans want politicians to do what they are paid to do and work with each other across the political aisle for what is in the best interest of the United States. More Tea Party supporters have proven to be divisive with their “Hell No” to everything approach and it is destroying the unity message we yearn for because a house divided will not stand.

One of the great modern rivalries in American politics was between President Reagan and the then Speaker of the House, Tip O’Neill. If Reagan believed that government was the problem—O’Neill, an unreconstructed New Dealer—believed it could be the solution. Yet these two very different politicians—from rival parties and with opposing philosophies of government—were able to bridge the gulf between them, often with cordiality—and always with civility.

Reagan summed up their relationship when—after one of their famous St. Patrick Day lunches—he wrote in his diary: “Tip is a real pol…[he can] be a friend while politically trying to beat your head in.”

These days, it appears our Nation has gone to the extreme and to the fringe groups.

Here is why you should support prop 121:

Prop 121, the Open Elections Open Government citizen’s initiative, will establish a “Top Two” election system in Arizona.

Arizonans, indeed ALL Americans, are clamoring for change to our current election process that seems to yield little these days beyond partisan sniping and gridlock. Most voters feel our government is broken because our election system is broken.

Prop 121, the Open Elections Open Government Act, will do away with current partisan primary elections in Arizona in which only a limited number of voters now participate and are only permitted to cast ballots for the candidates from one party.

In its place there will be a primary election open to ALL voters and ALL candidates. The top two candidates from that election—regardless of political party—will then face off in the November run-off election. Prop 121 will affect county, state and federal elections (except presidential) and candidates will be permitted to indicate party preference on the ballot if they so choose.

The result of Prop 121 is a “Top Two Primary” in which every voter will be permitted to vote in both the Primary and General Election. Voters will have real choices, with candidates who better represent all the people of Arizona rather than just the extreme views of narrow interests, the political bosses, and lobbyists. Forms of the top two election system have already been successfully established in several states.

Prop 121 is opposed by political bosses and lobbyists who like things just the way they are, and who fought, but fortunately failed, to prevent you from voting on this important amendment.

We urge you to join with respected community leaders from across our state who are tired of hyper-partisanship and want our government to work for us.

Vote YES on Prop 121.

Read the full text of the initiative to learn more and provide feedback.

Arizona is infamous for being extreme, and this is precisely why I believe power should be taken from both Party bosses and more power should be given to the People via independent voters.

The Arizona Republic Recommends a “Yes” Vote on Prop 121

Editorial Opinion – The Arizona Republic – 10/11/2012